Showing posts with label Sri Ambe Ma temple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sri Ambe Ma temple. Show all posts

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Sri Ambe Ma temple

Sri Ambe Ma temple

The antiquity of the temple dates back to more than 5,000 years. The tonsuring ceremony for Lord Krishna when He was a three year child in Gokhula was celebrated in this temple by Nandagopa and Yasodha. Since then, only male children’s tonsuring ceremony is observed by parents in this temple. It is not followed for the aged and female children. The belief is that the male child would enjoy a prosperous life filled with wisdom as Lord Krishna if this ceremony for male children is celebrated the next day of its birth day.

Sri Ambe Ma Ambica temple, Ambaji, Gujarat state.

In front of the Ambica shrine, in a pit-like place there are idols of Nageswarar, Hanuman, Nagarajar. We can do the abishek and flower pujas ourselves directly.

The hundi is 10 feet long made of copper. It is not vertical as in our temples. Contributions are put in. Kumkum and Laddu are offered as Prasad. Lord Someswarar temple is within 8 km around this temple. Old Ambaji temple is in Kappar Mountain 4 km from here. There is rope car facility to this 900 step temple. Only the feet of Ambica and a lamp are in the temple. Idols made of marbles are available for sale.

Devotees pray in the faith that male children would be wise and prosperous as Lord Krishna, if they tonsured the next day of their birth day

This is altogether a different Ambica Temple where only a Yantra is placed on a Lion Vahan which is fixed in marble plate decorated with jewels as Ambica. This is called Vishayantra, with an Ambica appearance.

This is also called Sri Yantra. As Sri represents wealth, it is believed that worshipping this Yantra would bless the devotee with prosperity. This is made of gold and placed on a tortoise vahan. There are 51 letters on the Yantra. Devotees are not allowed to go close to the yantra for darshan as the devotee cannot bear its power. Hence, a bandage cloth is tied around the eyes of those wishing to go close.

The shrine is small in size. The mandap and the prakara are made of marbles aesthetically. Peepal tree-Arasamaram is the sacred tree of the temple. They call the Mother Ambe Ma and Chachar Chowkvali. The Kalas on the 103 feet tall tower weighs 3 tonnes – 3000 kilo and is covered by gold.

The antiquity of the temple dates back to more than 3000 years. It is said that Lord Krishna’s tonsuring ceremony was celebrated in this temple when He was three years old and playing in Gokhulam. Nandagopa and Yasodha took him to this temple then for the purpose. Hence, only male children alone are tonsured in the temple and not female children and the aged.

Vinayaka worship is very popular in north. Lord Vinayaka graces in the shrine with His consorts Siddhi and Buddhi and sons Shub and Laab and with their sons Kushal and Sam (Vinayaka’s grandsons). The red Sendhura mixed with oil is applied on Vinayaka according to northern tradition.

Demon Mahishasura had the boon from Agnideva that he could not be destroyed by any weapon. Proud of his boon, he rounded up Indraloka and his greed drove him to capture Vaikunda and Kailash. Because of his strong boon, even Shiva and Narayana could not kill him. They sought the help of Mother Bhagavathi who would destroy any one misusing the boon power. Mother Bhagavathi destroyed the demon, stayed in this place and is blessing the devotees.

According to another story, Sri Rama and Lakshmana met Sage Srungi and sought his guidance to reach Lanka to rescue Mother Sita. He advised the princes to worship Ambaji Ambe Ma for guidance. Ambika blessed them with a weapon (astra in Sanskrit) called Ajai to conquer Ravana and rescue Sita.